Bad Tide – Cotton Fever/Crush
The greatest of all the clowns has the potential to play Hamlet better than anyone. In fact, great comedic actors have always warned audiences that in order to get extremely funny and to desperately want to share it, something tragic has to have occurred, something that cannot be undone. Perhaps, the next time that you go looking for rock songs that explore the depths of human suffering, your best bet might be to look for a pop-punk band that feels the need to speak out.
With their most recent single, Bad Tide certainly lend credence to the theory that people busy making others have a good time are the ones most invested in not letting themselves slip into bad memories. And the result is so good, in fact, that it makes you wonder what all of the pop-rock stars who specialise in songs about chasing girls at the mall might be able to do if they were allowed audiences full access to the worst aspects of themselves.
Here’s the thing! While you listen to the intro for Bad Tide’s “Cotton Fever/Crush,” if you’ve heard the band before or are familiar with this style of music, you can’t help but expect something to break the tension and for the song to turn comedic. But that never happens, even though the beat and the energy do, eventually, might make you want to get up and start dancing. However, the storytelling doesn’t skip any details, and the singer is determined to break the hearts of everyone who hears it. “Cotton Fever/Crush” is a wonderful song about a miserable past time.
Ben Gel – Life In One Day
You see those old videos of kids playing punk-rock in the late 1990s, and you can’t help but admire them. Check out how brave they were! Have a listen to what kind of sound they managed to get, usually, without virtuoso-level competence!
The more you listen to the music, and especially the lyrics, the more you’d like to ring one of those people up. Surely, they must have some advice that fits whatever crisis you are going through. Just looking at them makes you think that you’re staring at enlightened individuals.
If you do manage to get their number or make their acquaintance, you’re going to have to take your chances. Some of the punks don’t grow up, but simply become suspicious of everything around. Others, the exceptions, like Ben Gel, have earned enough wisdom to share it around.
“Life in One Day” is a risky attempt. It tries to cram the wisdom of a lifetime into a punk-rock song. But Ben Gel’s gamble works here. This is an energy-filled song where the bass is booming, and the words are memorable. Still, it’s also a rare pat on the back for the numerous punk-rock fans looking not only for guidance, but some old-fashioned hope. To hell with “No Future” slogans, let’s hear it for slowly building a future!
